Chopper and thinner for plants.



. Patented Jan. l4, |902 A. H.--MEADE. CHOPPER- AND THINNE R FOB PLANTS.

Ap n 'a'tion filed May 11. 1901;;

2 Sheets-Shut 2.

(No Model.)

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which may be manufactured at compara- UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. MEADE, OF NEW RICHMOND, MICHIGAN.

CHOPPER AND THINNER FOR PLANTS..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,282, dated January14, 1902.

Application filed May 11,1901.

semi No. 59,848. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. MEADE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Richmond, in the county of Allegan and State ofMichigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Choppers andThinners for Plants, ,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to choppers and thinners for plants, and is moreparticularly designed as an improvement in machines for thinning therows of sugar-beets.

In the culture of sugar-beets the same are sown in rows, and theserowsare subsequently thinned in order top'ermit the beets to grow inbunches.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a machine foraccomplishing the purposestated, which machine-is simple inconstruction, efficient in operation, and one lively small expense.

With this general object in view and others'which will appear as thenature of the improvements is better understood the inven tion consists,substantially, in the novel construction, combination, and arrangementof parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan. view of a chopper and thinnerfor plants constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2is a front elevation'thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View ofthe same. Fig. 4is a detail sectional view of the tensioning means forthe gearing operating the thinning-knife. Fig. 5 is a detail elevationof thesupporting-guide for the knifecarrying bar.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designatesa supporting-beam, towhich beam are suitably connected at each ofits ends the bearing-wheels2, through the medium of which the machineis operated. These wheelsmay-be secured in anysuitable manner to the beam 1, and connected to thecentral portion of the beam 1 is a pair of handles 3, by means of whichthe machine is pushed by the operator over the field of beets. As aconvenient means for connecting the handles 3 to the beam 1 a pair ofstraps 4 is employed,

said straps being bent at a point intermediate their ends, so as to bereadily connected to the beam 1 and the handles 3 and at the same timeimpart to said handles the proper degree of pitch or inclination withrelation to the beam 1.

Arranged adjacent one end of the beam 1 and extending transverselythereof is a shaft 5, through the medium of which the thinning-knife isoperated, and said shaft is journaled in a suitable bearing 6, arrangedat the under side of the beam 1. The beam 1 is provided with alongitudinally-extending slot 7, and arranged within said slot 7 andconnected to the bearing 6 is apair of bolts 8 or other equivalent, theupper ends of the bolts 8 passing through a bearing-plate 9, andthreaded upon said upper ends are adjusting-nuts 10. It will be observedthat the slot 7 is of greater length than the bearing 6, and by reasonof this said bearing is capable of adjustment in a longitudinaldirection upon the beam 1. The extreme forward end of the shaft 5 restsin a supporting-bracket 11, which bracket is arranged at the lower endsof a pair of forwardly and downwardly extending rods 12, the rear end ofsaid rods being connected to the upper ends of the bolts 8 and beingmaintained thereby upon the beam 1. By reason of the supportingbracket11 it will be seen that the shaft 6 is maintained in fixedrelation tothe beam 1; but at the same timeit is capable of rotation in the bearing6 and the bracket 11.

Mounted upon theforward end of the shaft 5 is a sprocket-wheel 13, andWorking upon saidsprocket-wheel is a chain 14., which chain also worksupon a sprocket-wheel 15, carried by a jack-shaft 16, arranged inproximity to the bearing-wheel 2 at the end of the beam 1 opposite tothat whereon the shaft 5 is located.

A bevel-gear 17 is carried by the jack-shaft 16, and said wheel mesheswith a correspond ing bevel-wheel 18, carried, by the adjacentbearing-wheel 2, and through the medium of the gears 17 and 18 it willbe seen that motion is imparted to the shaft 16 when the machine ispushed over the ground.

A crank-Wheel 19 is carried by the shaft 5 at its rear end, to whichcrank-wheel is connected one end of a knife-carrying bar or pitman 20and to the other end of which bar or pitman is connected a knife 21, andit will be observed that said knife is arranged in rearof the shaft 16,but spaced a suflicient distance from the adjacent wheel 2, so that therow of beets which is to be thinned may pass between said Wheel and saidknife. To maintain the bar or pitman 20 in proper operative relation tothe beam 1, a supporting-guide 22 is employed, and said guide isprovided at its lower end with a loop or eye 23,.through which the baror pitman 20 is adapted to reciprocate. The shank of the guide 22 isprovided with an elongated slot 24, and passing through said slot is aconnecting-bolt 25, through the medium of which the guide 22 is attachedin a vertical position to the rear side of the beam 1. By means of thebolt 25 and the slot 2i it will be seen that the guide 22 when said boltis loosened is capable of vertical adjustment upon the beam 1, and bymeans of said adjustment the degree of pitch or throw of the bar orpitman 20 is regulated. This regulation enables the knife 21 to eithereffect deep cutting or limit the action of such knife to more shallowcutting.

In order to maintain the handles 3 in elevated position when the machineis not being operated, a supporting-rod 26 is employed, the upper end ofsaid rod being swiveled upon one of the rounds of the handles, and itwill thus be seen that when said rod is not in use the same may be swungupon the rounds of the handles; but when desired for supporting saidhandles the rod 26 may be swung to the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 3 and when in such position is adapted to maintain the handles 3elevated. It is also obvious that the gears 17 and 18 should beprotected during the operation of, the machine from accumulations ofsand, dirt, and other matter, and to this end said gears maybe inclosedin a proper guard, which guard it is not deemed necessary to illustrate.

With the parts assembled in the relation illustrated. and described theoperation of the machine is as follows:. The handles 3 are grasped bythe operator, and pressure being applied thereto the machine is pushedforwardly, the row of beets to be thinned passing between the knife 21and the adjacent bearing-wheel 2. Said wheel, through the medium of thegears 17 and 18, imparts motion to the shaft 16, which shaft, by meansof the sprocket-wheels 13 and 15 and the chain 14, communicates motionto the shaft 5. As the latter is rotated the crank-wheel19 rotatestherewith, and a reciprocatory movement is therebyimparted to theknife-carrying bar or pitman 20. Motion being thus imparted to the knife21, and the degree of pitch or throw of the pitman having already beendetermined by .the adjustment of the guide 23, the knife 21 is caused toact upon the row of beets, and the latter is thinned at intervals ofapproximately six inches. If at any time the chain 14 should become tooslack, the same may be properly tensioned by loosening the bolts 8,whereupon the bearing 6 may be slid upon the beam 1, and in the movementof said bearing it is obvious that the supporting-bracket 11 follows thesame.

While the form of machine herein described and shown is what is believedto be a preferable embodiment of the same, it is obvious that theinvention issusceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, andminor details of construction, and the right is therefore reserved tomodifyor vary the invention as falls within the scope thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new,-anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with atransversely-operating reciprocating cutter; of a shaft connectedthereto and mounted in a bearing adj ustably mounted upon the machine;means for actuating said shaft through the movement of the machine; andmeans for regulating the degree of 'pitch or throw of the cuttercomprising a slotted guide, vertically adjustable on the beam, andhaving a loop or eye at its lower end.

2. The combination with a supportingbeam, of an adjustable shaftarranged trans versely thereof, a crank at the rear end of said shaft, asprocket-wheel at the forward end thereof, a shaft arranged parallel tothe adjustable shaft, a sprocket on said second shaft, a sprocket-chainconnecting the two shafts, gearing for driving the shafts, a pitmancarrying a cutter and connected to the crank, and means for-adjustingsaid pitman to control the pitch of the cutter.

3. The combination with a supportingbeam formed with a longitudinalslot, of an adj ust'able shaft-bearing suspended below the beam byboltsextending through the slot, and a bearing-plate above the beam throughwhich the bolts extend, a shaft within said bearing, a cutter operatedby the shaft, driving-gear, and a sprocket-chain adapted to be tensionedby the adjustment of said bearing.

4. The combination with a longitudinallyslotted supporting-beam, of atransverselyoperating reciprocating cutter, an adjustable guide forregulating the pitch of the cutter, a shaft arranged transversely of thebeam for operating the cutter, and'm'eans for supporting said shaft adjustably comprising a hearing below the beam, a bearing-plate above thebeam, bolts connecting said bearing and plate, and a bracket supportedby depending arms, secured by said bolts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR H. MEADE.

